The global shipping industry, responsible for about 3% of artificial carbon dioxide emissions, faces a pressing need for decarbonisation due to its significant contribution to climate change and adverse impacts on human health and the environment. To address this challenge, a stringent reduction target of 80% by 2050 has been set for the marine sector. This study aims to comprehensively examine the decarbonisation process within the UK research ship fleet, analyse its broader environmental implications, and investigate risk mitigation strategies and challenges encountered. Two main objectives guide the research: (1) Understand the decarbonising process and its environmental effects, and (2) Identify key factors influencing or impeding decarbonisation process strategies to combat global emissions. Employing a mixed-method approach, the study retrospective reviews the fleet’s decarbonisation efforts. It assesses energy efficiency in three research vessels, potentially applicable to the broader UK marine research fleet. The research findings offer valuable insights into the decarbonisation of the UK maritime research fleet, highlighting crucial drivers and barriers. Additionally, the study provides short-term and long-term strategies for the industry to reduce emissions, shedding light on the underexplored relationship between oceanography decarbonisation and energy efficiency in the global research fleet. These findings hold relevance for various applications within the maritime and transportation sectors.